Taking Advantage of the Snow and Ice

We have been surrounded by utter beauty this week.  In the midst of taking pictures, sledding, skating on the ice covered snow, making snow cream and more, I prompted the children to squeeze in just a little learning.

They had a long walk to their favorite sledding hill.  I asked them to just listen for a little while on their walk.  What did they hear?  Upon returning home, we talked about how quiet the walk had been and how everything seemed to be muffled.  Why?  Snow absorbs sound.  Very much like a room with carpet and curtains is much quieter than a room with hardwood floors and no curtains.

I also had them fill two exact cups with snow.   The first cup was to be packed as tight as possible only to the rim, while the second cup was to be heaping, but never packed down.  I asked them to predict which cup would be more full of water once the snow melted.  They both predicted correctly that the packed cup would have more water in it.  Why?  Snow has air in it.  Packing the snow releases some of the air allowing more snow to fit in the cup.  I think they were both surprised at how little water was in either cup in the end.  Even the more full cup was only about half full.

We also had some great discussions of snow vs. sleet vs. freezing rain vs. rain that freezes.  We had the opportunity to observe each of these weather situations within 24 hours!

God’s voice thunders in marvelous ways;

He does great things beyond our understanding.

He says to the snow, “Fall on the earth,”

And to the rainshower, “Be a mighty downpour.”

So that all men He has made may know His work,

He stops every man from his labor.

Job 37:5-7

Enjoy wintery nature study using the activities found in: